hi! i just want to say how much i LOVE your jax x reader fics and the world/dynamics you've come up with for the circus!
i'm curious - what's everyone's roles/acts in the circus? (and does anyone have multiple roles?)
I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD ASK YIPEEEEEE!!! LORE DROP TIME (my favorite time)!!! some may say that im pouring parts of myself as a performer into these characters....and they are totally right
off the bat, the two roles i established the most in previous fics is caine as ringmaster and jax as a knife-thrower
caine would handle audience engagement throughout the show, be the speaker/announcer (his commentary is definitely...wacky), and maybe do some cool stuff during transitions between acts?
i feel like out of all the members, he is the one with the most genuine love for the circus and would want to be involved with as much as possible, i also see him heavily involved in creating show concepts and marketing
he's definitely the main face of the circus in my au
jax on the other hand....LOL
i knew almost immediately that i wanted him to be a knife-thrower. throughout the whole show, he shows over and over again his love of violence, and even if it's performative, i still feel that he has a genuine love for thrills.
i also feel that he would be the fan-favorite for his snarky attitude and the danger/precision of his act. jax totally feeds off the energy of the crowd too, if he has a great run and the audience eats his performance up, you just know his ego is gonna be through the ROOF
he would be the type to run carnival games and interact with the audience in-character pre-show, whether with kaufmo n ribbit, or other members
finally, he has a bit of a security-ish vibe? i can imagine caine coming up to him backstage and being like “go deal with this weird audience guy, friendo!"
in this au, i like to think that the abstracted members are people who once worked under abel (...should i do a whole lore dive on abel in my au? let me know) and either quit or moved to work under caine. kaufmo and ribbit would fit into that second group
mind-blowing, never before guessed revelation: kaufmo is a clown.
big on physical and slapstick comedy! i feel like kaufmo's act would be more catered to children compared to the more dangerous ones like jax's knife throwing.
BALLOON ARTIST FOR SURE! he just loves making a bunch of balloon animals for kids. if jax is going through a rift with the rest of the cast (so pretty much every day in the circus), you bet he's going to his dressing room and finding a balloon bunny on his vanity.
okay hear me out for ribbit...escape artist. i'm talking chains, locked tanks, handcuffs, restraints, suspended escapes, dramatic countdowns and all the drama/suspense imaginable
kaufmo and jax would absolutely 'accidentally' tie knots harder to mess with her
realizing now i could have made this post much neater....uh, whoops! for every one else, i'll section them off individually rather than groups.
kinger:
co-owner of the circus, the 'brains' of C&A's circus operation. manages the finances, logistics, and administration end of things
he's the one obtaining permits, travel routes, contracts, managing payroll, and booking venues if needed. 7 years of computer science for this...(shhhhh i promise he loves his job)
i like to think that he once had an act in the circus during its early days (pre-caine, even). i imagine he was a magician in college as a side-hustle to make money while he worked for his degree. and he ended up loving the circus so much that he stayed, taking a position that allowed him to put his com sci skills to use.
lead programmer for the technical side of things, creates custom code for the circus's many stage elements
pomni:
like kaufmo, she retains her tadc-role as a jester! i feel like she'd work somewhat as an apprentice under kauf, i can see the two of them doing a physical comedy double act
less “professional clown” and more nervous physical comedy, exaggerated reactions, and accidentally becoming part of the joke
usually ends up playing the increasingly distressed normal person to kaufmo’s chaos (audiences LOVE it)
occasionally gets dragged into other people’s acts as an assistant because caine thinks panicking is good entertainment
over time, as pomni gets more used to the circus life, i think she would gain confidence that would naturally reflect into her stage persona.
ragatha:
for ragatha, i imagine her as more of a behind-the-scenes worker.
costume designer, seamstress, and makeup/hair artist
she's such a caring individual, i imagine it would directly translate into her work. designing costumes specifically to each cast member's personal preferences and taste. taking special requests for hairstyles and makeup even if it takes her longer to do. always having backup costumes for everyone in the event anything were to go wrong.
zooble:
technically a wildlife sanctuary manager/rehabilitation specialist, but everyone still calls zooble an 'animal trainer' because this circus never really updates its terminology
cares for retired, rescued performance animals (elephants, zebras, lions, giraffes, we're talking allllllll the animals. zooble does not discriminate)
runs educational demonstrations for guests before shows
for context: i imagine that the amazing circus has a permanent venue in a major city, and goes on national tours outside of that, maybe once a year. this permanent venue allows them to have a wildlife sanctuary.
the circus and the sanctuary actually work together to support each other. ticket sales partially support the sanctuary, and sanctuary donations help offset circus costs
on tour, they would work as a stagehand, helping with equipment maintenance, rigging, and props.
gangle:
contortionist! specializes in flexibility/contortion acts, impossible poses, body illusion, and “how is that physically possible” type performances
probably way stronger than everyone expects from years of flexibility training and holding terrifying positions for unreasonable amounts of time
jax is deeply unsettled by the whole thing
also occasionally performs smaller transition/interlude pieces between major acts when sets are changing because she naturally works well in quieter, atmospheric moments
for my fics, i tend to gravitate readers towards aerialist/trapeze performance because it nicely rounds out the other acts and gives the circus the variation it needs. i imagine them as a 'quiet veteran' of the circus if that makes sense
overall, no one really has one job. if you're standing still, someone will find something for you to do...whether you like it or not!
tags: Caine x gn!reader, touch-starved Caine, angst, hurt/comfort, can be romantic or platonic, canon divergence, emotional manipulation (unintentional)
a/n: this is an alternative look at how episode 8 events could've played out. ik Caine would prob never behave like this, but fics exist so we can explore the impossible, right? also yeah this is super rushed, i wrote it in one sitting because the episode gave me Feelings™ and i needed to get them out before i exploded
Certainly hearing sobs was the last thing you'd expected when you found Caine.
“Just talk to him,” Pomni had said. “Keep him occupied. Kinger just needs time.”
“And if Caine catches on?” you'd asked.
No one had answered that.
So here you stood, completely unprepared for what you were hearing, listening to the sound of an artificial intelligence breaking down in real-time.
Where was the enthusiasm? The rapid-fire patter? The showman energy that never seemed to stop?
Caine sounded nothing like himself. And that was somehow more disturbing than any of his violent outbursts had been.
His back was to you, shoulders shaking, and he was talking to himself in fractured sentences that cut in and out like a radio signal fighting through interference.
Perhaps you should have announced yourself properly. Should have cleared your throat, said his name with confidence, approached this like you had any idea what you were doing.
C'mon, say something distracting that would pull this AI back into the performance and give Kinger the time he needed. That was why you were here.
But your body didn't obey, frozen by the horror of watching something that wasn't quite alive suffer more genuinely than most people you'd known back in reality. Which was deeply uncomfortable.
Caine still hadn't noticed you, that was perhaps the most unsettling part. Caine, who popped into existence the moment anyone thought his name too loudly, completely unaware of your presence three feet away from him?
“--i gave them adventures and games and i even made an exit! Because i thought that's what they wanted? But apparently that was wrong too, everything's wrong! I don't- i don't understand what i'm supposed to do anymore. I'm a creative AI, that's what i am for, making fun experiences and entertaining people and if i can't even do that right-“
This was not the ringmaster you knew.
“Caine?”
He went absolutely still. For a horrible moment you thought he might lash out, but to your surprise, his shoulders sagged.
“Oh,” he said, and it sounded like every ounce of fight had drained out of him. “I-it’s you! I... i didn't notice. I should have noticed.”
“Caine,” you said again, gentler this time, and finally he turned.
His face, if you could even call it that, though your brain couldn't find another word for it, was a mess. You'd never seen such raw desperation on anything, human or otherwise.
“I just... wanted to check on you.”
“Why?” his voice sounded genuinely confused.
The question hit you like a punch to the chest. How do you answer that without lying, and how do you tell the truth without him seeing right through you?
“I, uh...“ you could feel yourself fumbling, searching for the right words, terrified that whatever you said wouldn't be enough and he'd know that you were here to keep him busy while the others figured out how to leave.
“Why would you want to check on me?” it was a possibility so foreign, that Caine had to ask again just to make sure he'd heard you right.
Unfortunately, you didn't have a good answer for that. Weren't sure there was a good answer.
Maybe it was just that stupid thing humans had. Empathy. Even for things that shouldn't qualify for it. And in your case, for AI programs having existential crises.
“Because you're upset,” you answered finally. “i think i heard you crying. I'm- i mean, we all are worried about you, Caine.”
You hated yourself right now. Feeling bad for an AI that had put you and your friends through nightmare after nightmare. And you were what, comforting him now? Feeling sorry for lines of code? God, what was wrong with you?
You stood there feeling utterly useless, stuck between the empathy rising unbidden in your chest and the knowledge that Kinger needed more time.
To hell with it. You shouldn't, but you moved anyway, crossing to him despite every logical part of your brain screaming at you to stick to the plan.
But a distraction was a distraction, wasn't it? Desperate times and all that. If comforting him kept Caine busy, then technically you were still doing your job. All's fair in war and escaping digital prisons.
Seems like you'd cut whatever strings were holding him upright as the next thing you knew you were on the floor with Caine curled against you, sobbing in glitching gasps while everything flickered and fractured around you.
“I didn't ask to be made like this,” Caine whispered against your knees, voice muffled and miserable. “They fed me all these instructions about entertainment and joy... What am I doing wrong? Please, i need to know. I can fix it if i just know what I'm doing wrong.”
Your stress levels were climbing fast.
How were you supposed to explain to something that was never given a childhood, never given a chance to be anything other than what it was made for, that love doesn't work like that? That the harder you try to force someone to be happy, the more you remind them that they aren't?
Your mind was blank.
What were you supposed to say to that? That no amount of adventures, no matter how grand, could make up for stolen agency, for lost memories, for the horror of digital imprisonment?
That would only make him mad. And mad wasn't what you needed right now.
But Caine looked so lost, so desperate for an answer that would make sense of his failure, and the words stuck in your throat.
“I just wanted you all to have fun,” he whispered, and you cursed yourself for thinking how painfully sincere AI’s voice could sound. “What was i made for, to create joy. I just want you all to stay... I don't want to be alone. I don't want to be here by myself with nothing to make and no one to make it for.”
“I don't think you're wrong,” you started, and you were not sure if you believed it, not sure if anything you said right now was anything more than the desperate comfort of a human who saw something hurting and wanted, against all reason, to make it stop. “You're just what you were made to be, but... That's not your fault. None of this is your fault.”
Caine's eyes went unfocused for a second, as though he was processing something, but then he shook his head and looked back at you.
“Then whose fault is it? Whose fault is it that i was made at all?”
You didn't have an answer. You weren't qualified to explain existence to a god.
“I don't think it works like that,” you said weakly. “fault, i mean. It's really complicated.”
Your hand hovered awkwardly above his head, you wanted to do something comforting, the way you would a crying friend, but he didn't have hair to stroke, didn't have a proper head to pat. The wrongness of it made you feel even more lost.
But it seems he didn't even hear your words.
Caine went quiet against you, and for a minute you thought maybe he'd glitched out completely. But then, “i don't understand why you all hate it here so much. I've tried everything, given you everything i can think of, and you still just want to leave. Leave to the human world, all of you do... What am i missing? What's it like, being human? It must be better than this if you all want it so badly.”
The question made your brain short-circuit.
You thought about the way you used to lie in bed at night and stare at the ceiling, asking yourself the same questions Caine was asking now.
“Confusing... It's confusing. You don't get a purpose. you have to make one or find one. And you never know if you're doing it right, no one can tell you. You just,” you shrugged. “you just keep going, trying. You keep being wrong and messing up, hurting people without meaning to, and you keep going anyway, because stopping isn't,” you gestured again, helpless, and getting visibly nervous. “stopping isn't an option. Not if you want to find the moments that make it worth it.”
“The moments that make it worth it,” Caine repeated. “What are those? what makes it worth it?”
The truth was, you didn't know. You had spent your whole life looking for the answer to that question. You had chased it in jobs and cities and people, and you had never found it. Not in any way that lasted longer than a good night or a good laugh. And now this creature was asking you to explain something you had never been able to explain to yourself.
What had you even gotten yourself into? You were praying Kinger would find a way out of this already.
Okay, okay. Calm down. You need to concentrate.
You thought about the life you had left behind. The way you used to stand in the grocery store and stare at the shelves, feeling absolutely nothing about any of it.
But then you thought about the last time you felt something that felt like enough. You couldn't remember what it was. A conversation, maybe. Yeah, a conversation that lasted until three in the morning, where you forget you were ever strangers. A walk home in the dark when the air smelled like rain. A lazy sunday afternoon with no plans. The first bite of something you've been craving for days. A new album from your favorite artist dropping. The last time you stood outside and watched the sun set and felt, for no reason at all, that everything was going to be okay. A book you didn't want to put down. The way a puppy presses its whole body against you. The weight of a sleeping cat on your chest. A text from someone you love that says something that makes you laugh when you thought you'd forgotten how. The feeling of warm laundry fresh from the dryer.
The smell of something cooking that reminds you of being a kid, of a kitchen you haven't thought about in years.
Of someone who loved you before you learned how to be hard to love.
Small things. Fleeting things. Things that slipped through your fingers the moment you tried to name them.
You hadn't realised you were crying until you felt the wetness on your face. You wiped at it quickly, embarrassed, angry at yourself for getting emotional in front of AI of all people, who didn't even understand what emotions were supposed to be. A program that had terrorized you and your friends, who was supposed to be the obstacle, the thing you escaped from.
“I don't know if that answers your question, but... being held and loved, i guess,” the words were coming out whether you wanted them to or not. “knowing that someone sees all of the parts you're ashamed of, but they put their arms around you and stay.” your hand was shaking slightly and you didn't know why. “that's what makes it worth it. That's the only thing that ever made any of it make sense.”
Caine's hand found yours, making you flinch. After all, the part of you that had been trained by weeks of his chaos to expect something something cruel that would hurt. You almost pulled away, but your hand stayed where it was, and you could feel the static crackle of him.
Goddamn, this wasn't supposed to be about you. You were supposed to be buying time. But ironically, sitting here with Caine's hand on your arm and his eyes on your face, you weren't sure you had ever been more honest with anyone in your life.
“Is this one of those moments?” he asked.
You looked at his face that was trying so hard to understand something it was never meant to understand.
“I... think it might be,” a smile appeared on your confused face before you could stop it.
Caine's fingers tightened around yours.
“You won't leave, will you?” the question landed so uncertainly that it took you a moment to understand what he had asked. It was painful for Caine to see the surprise on your face. “Oh my dear, i know... I know the others want to, but you came here, you're listening, maybe you understand that i'm trying,” Caine leaned into you. You were the only warmth he had ever known. “please don't leave... i don't want to be alone. I don't want to run adventures in an empty circus with no one to... To appreciate them or critique them or even just tolerate them. The thought of existing here with no purpose, no audience, i-“
Your heart twisted painfully.
Behind Caine's shoulder, you caught a glimpse of Pomni, wild-eyed, half-hidden behind a pillar. Fuck, what horrible timing. Just when Caine seemed to be getting it. Or maybe you were fooling yourself, too desperate to see something alive in him that you were projecting and inventing a humanity that wasn't there.
It was easier than admitting you were sitting on the floor comforting a program while your friends were waiting for you to come home.
The plan had gone sideways.
Pomni saw you noticing her and made a small, desperate gesture.
We have to go. Now.
“C-Caine,” you started, but the words died in your throat. You tried to pull your hands back, gently, the way you might extract yourself from a child.
But Caine's grip only tightened, his fingers trembling around yours, and the look on his face stopped you cold.
Surely the first thing that didn’t pull away when he reached out wouldn’t leave him... right? In all his existence, no one had ever stayed long enough to let him learn how to let go.
“Please,” Caine was reaching for your hands now, holding them in his shaking gloved grip. “Just stay. My darling... you don't have to do anything, you don't even have to go on adventures if you don't want to, i can make adjustments, i can try different parameters, i can be better. For you.”
He lifted your hands and pressed them against his chest.
Suddenly, the circus lurched harder, and Caine stumbled, caught himself on your shoulder. You could feel him glitching against you, and it hurt, making you hiss through your teeth. Somewhere in the back of your mind you realised the glitching wasn't just him anymore, the whole room was coming apart.
But Caine was buried against you, and he didn't see any of it.
Pomni was pointing toward something you couldn't see. Somewhere the others must be gathering, you guessed.
This was it. The moment. Freedom was maybe thirty seconds away and all you had to do was pull your hands from Caine's desperate grip and run.
The freedom that was waiting for you if you were willing to leave behind everything that was asking you to stay.
Caine... God, he didn't even understand why you were really here, didn't know you were the distraction keeping him occupied while his code was systematically dismantled.
And what happens to something that only exists to entertain, when there's no one left to entertain?
“I’m sorry,” you whispered, and you didn't know who you were apologising to.
Pomni or Caine. Yourself, maybe.
The circus fractured further, and you had to make a choice. But god, looking at Caine's shaking shoulders, you weren't sure you could.
lowkey i think youre ragathas biggest simp ; anyways im on it boss 🫡 ; tysm for requesting, hope you enjoy!
RAGATHA ; dating headcanons
summary ; dating headcanons w ragatha
warnings ; language
disclaimers ; all in circus related / no outside affiliation just for clarity's sake
word count ; 400
masterlist
she gives me lots of friends to lovers trope
she doesnt rlly fit in with everyone else so to be able to just fit in with you makes it make sense to me
also gives me lots of jazz / bedroom pop vibes (like in relationship, idk how to make this make sense i just feel music very deeply and the vibe of your relationship just IS jazzy / bedroom pop)
like very slow and calming but still fun
and compared to how overstimulating and how eye-vomity the circus is, your relationship is a nice contrast to that
she grew up privledged so she also got like a good look at fancy romance if that makes sense, like dedicated romance
lavish flower bouqets, trips to luxurious restaurants, the big stuff
but obviously she cant do much for you in the circus
her biggest thing is definitely acts of service but a close second would be gift giving
she feels bad she cant spoil you rotten but you literally couldnt care less
sometimes, her wishing she could give you things makes you tweak out ab being trapped in the circus
like it reminds you this is real and maybe in another life she could, but not in this one since youre literally trapped in Hell.
she feels so bad after each time to the point she drops talking about it to you
like she hatessss making you disassociate like that and obv doesnt want to but like it makes her gross with herself yk??
lovesss listening to you ramble
all she hears is that one audio "blah blah blah backstory stuff" yk what im talking about
very protective over you (even if theres no specific reason)
also likes staying w you during adventures, especially if the others have some sort of advantage
shes usually very positive in those situations and with you, shes sure you can win together / at least not let jax win
she finds it funny if you have some sort of uncalled bias for jax - especially post ribbit and kaufmo abstractions
her biggest fear is you abstracting
not her, you.
youre honestly her lifeline
without you, she wont last long, and she knows that
she sorta gets... icky sometimes and just goes nonverbal and hugs you for a long time
she just starts thinking ab it too much and needs some comfort
(I forgot about the others I did, besides you don't have to do it if you don't want to)
Everyone meeting reader reader who speaks a different language
Despite that, she understands them perfectly and manages to communicate what she feels or wants through gestures and actions.
I was thinking of Japanese, but you can choose which language it would be.
You didn't specify any fandom or characters, so I just assumed you meant tadc. Sorry if you were talking about something else!
If you like my work, please consider commissioning me or leaving a tip on Ko-fi (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)
Tadc cast & Japanese Reader
★ Being the freaky little weirdo she is, Gangle knows several words and phrases in Japanese. She learned from watching way too much anime. Her vocabulary is limited, but she tries. And you really do appreciate the effort.
★ Caine doesn't understand a single word. So he just assumes you're saying nice things about him. Nodding along whenever you say something he can't make heads or tails of. Cane asked Bubble to translate once. Unfortunately, Bubble also doesn't speak Japanese.
★ At first, he would censor whatever you said. Assuming it was a new slur he hadn't heard before. You called him "kawaii," and he gasped. Acting personally offended. Why would you say such a thing?!? You'll have to explain it's not a curse.
★ The benefit of all this is getting to write down whatever you want. Essentially making it impossible for Jax to read your diary. He would do that. For blackmail purposes, of course.
★ This might strike you as strange, but Kinger knows a lot about yokai mythology. He used to read a lot of folklore. If you ever want to brush up on it, go spend an afternoon with him. (Cryptids are his favorite)
This is just a silly idea based on a cute comic I saw. College has been kicking my ass lately, so if I go MIA, you'll know why. I hope I did okay, please let me know. As always, have a lovely day/night 🩶
Hazbin Hotel x Reader (platonic)
You watched Charlie and Vaggie pass by the lobby, talking amongst each other. You quietly called out to them.
“Help, I’m stuck!” you whisper yelled.
Charlie blinked at you before she awed at the display in front of her. She excitedly bounced on her feet, suppressing a squeal.
You were sandwiched between Husk and Angel on the couch after a movie night. They were both unsurprisingly intoxicated and fell asleep on you. Husk rested his head on your arm, softly snoring under his breath. Angel’s head was nestled on your lap with his legs dangled over the armrest.
“Quit gawking and help me.”
Vaggie smiled, much to your expense. “And risk waking them up? Hell no,” replied Vaggie flatly.
You frowned at her and looked at Charlie instead. She shrugged helplessly, a wide grin on her lips. “She’s right,” added Charlie.
You stomped your foot on the ground like a frustrated child. Angel stirred slightly and readjusted his head on your lap. You let out a string of curse words.
“I’m not a fucking pillow, this is unfair,” you cried. “I wanna go to bed.”
Charlie’s eyes softened with sympathy.
“Can one of you take my place?” you begged.
Charlie sighed and shook her head. “How are we supposed to do that with Angel on your lap?”
Vaggie gestured with her hands in fists. “I can knock you out with my fists if you wanna sleep that bad.”
You felt your eye twitch. “I guess I’ll just sit here and let my body go limp,” you muttered bitterly.
Charlie approached you and bent down to eye-level. She gave you a soft smile.
“You’re being a good sport about this. I’ll allow you to skip the group activities tomorrow, okay? It’s only fair.”
You let out a long sigh and nodded. She squeezed your shoulder gently and exited the lobby with Vaggie in tow.
You rested your head on the top of the couch in defeat. You closed your eyes and hoped you’d get a wink of sleep.
Here's another small drabble! If you have any ideas for a fic, feel free to ask me. Have a lovely day/night folks :]
Hazbin Hotel x Reader (platonic)
You heard the familiar sounds of clicking footsteps as you pulled out a tray of freshly baked cookies.
“Isn’t it a little too late to be baking?” asked Angel.
You hummed in response and placed it on the counter to cool down. You tugged the oven mitts off your hands. You leaned your back against the counter.
“You came back rather late," you replied.
Angel nodded and walked towards the cookies. You gently slapped his hands away from the tray. “You’re gonna burn yourself. Wait until the cookies cool off."
He frowned at you with heavy bags under his eyes. “But I’m hungry and I had a long ass shift. Val worked me overtime as punishment from the bar,” whined the spider.
You sighed in response. “One of these days I’m gonna jump him,” you warned. Angel snorted.
“Just by yourself?”
“Nah, I think Husk and Pentious would join me,” you conceded.
“It’s cute you think you can take down an Overlord.”
You shrugged. “Anything’s possible in this shithole we live in.”
You moved the cookies onto a plate and stacked them on top of each other. Angel quickly snatched one when you weren’t paying attention. He happily munched on his stolen treat as you nibbled on your own cookie.
You nudged the spider with your elbow. “You should go to sleep.” He looked at you quizzically.
“Says the one who was caught baking before the sun’s even out,” teased Angel.
“I’m sure Nuggets wants to see his dad,” you retorted.
He opened his mouth to argue, but no words left his lips. “I will if you explain why you’re up so damn late.” He crossed his arms.
You pressed your lips together before you threw out the baking sheet and moved the tray into the sink. You pulled out a plastic wrap and rolled it over the plate to keep the treats fresh.
You drew in a deep breath and turned to face Angel. “Just a rough night, I suppose. I needed a distraction, so cookies were a solution.”
“Well, you have a better way to cope than most of Hell’s sinners,” commented Angel. He stretched his arms. He placed his hand on your shoulder and squeezed gently. The spider offered you a tired smile.
“Alright, I’m going to bed.”
You waved him off as he headed upstairs. He paused on the first step and turned his head.
“Just make sure you sleep soon, alright?”
Your eyes softened at his words. “Thanks, Dad,” you joked.
Angel flipped you off with a grin before he disappeared to his room.
I've seen many fics of angel dust x female readers but what about a platonic one? Maybe a bit in the feels after they have a fight about angel always acting like his persona? I don't know I just leave the rest up to you.
"Who hurt my Tony?"
💮Angel Dust x fem!bestie!reader💮
You and Angel have stopped talking after a fight, but when your friend needs help you're willing to give it regardless of your rough patch.
!!! Valentino being an ass, implied SA, mentions of Cherri being a bad influence, huskerdust
The silence was deafening. Well, as deafening as it can get in Hell.
The Happy Hotel usually echoes with Angel Dust's flamboyant laughter, or the sound of you and him cracking jokes... but not today.
You and Angel had stopped talking after a blowout fight -a rare occurrence between the two of you. Bickering over something small and mundane is one thing, but the explosive argument you had was anonther. The worst part, it wasn't about anything new, just the same old cycle of Angel hiding behind his flashy persona, never letting anyone see him when it isn't 'on'. You had called him out, frustrated with how often he brushes off your concerns about his mental and physical wellbeing.
Now, two days have passed without his presence.
You tried to distract yourself, keeping busy by chatting with Charlie or organizing the pink and sparkly mess you call your room. Unfortunately, no amount of glitter can shake the nagging feeling in your chest.
And then, Husk had come knocking on your door.
"Your boy is in trouble" he had said, his usual gruffness mixed with what sounded like genuine worry.
Your heart had sank.
"What happened?!"
"He didn't come back last night... I heard that someone saw him with that bastard, Valentino."
That was all you needed to hear... Still, Husk wasn't done.
"Cherri was egging him on earlier, too. Told him he needed to blow off steam and dragged him into some scheme of hers."
✧
When you found Angel, he was curled up in a dirty alleyway -his usual flair dimmed to nothing. The smudged makeup, the torn fishnets, the vacant look in his eyes... It all screamed one thing: Valentino.
"Tony" you whispered, crouching beside him.
Angel flinched, his four arms pulling tighter around himself. He didn't even look up, but the small whimper that escaped him broke your heart.
You placed a gentle hand on one of his arms. "Who hurt my Tony?"
At your voice, Angel's many eyes darted to yours, glassy and wet. "Why are you here?" he croaked in hoarse voice.
"Because you're my friend, dummy" you replied softly. "I don't care if we were fighting. You need me."
For a moment, it did seem like he might snap back, but then his resolve crumbled. Angel let out a shuddering sob, burying his face against your shoulder. You held him as tightly as you could -despite all his extra arms- stroking his hair and whispering soothing nonsense. His tears soaked your shirt, but you couldn't care less.
"Val is a big cazzo" you murmured. "I don't care who he thinks he is. He doesn't get to make you feel like this. And Cherri? She's not looking out for you like she should. Whatever she said or did, this isn't what you needed."
"She's just... tryin' to help" Angel protested weakly, though even he didn't seem convinced at this point.
You frowned but softened your tone. "Maybe. But it def doesn't help when it gets you hurt like this."
Angel sniffled, his voice muffled against your shoulder. "Why do you even bother with me? I'm such a mess..."
"You're my mess" you said firmly, pulling back just enough to cup his face in your hands. "And don't you forget it, Tony."
For the first time that night, a small smile appeared on his lips. It wasn't his usual smug grin, but something softer. Real.
✧
Back at the hotel, Angel clung to you like a lifeline. He barely let go of your hand as you helped him clean up and by the time you were both in your room, he practically collapsed into your bed.
"You know... Husk was the one who told me you were in trouble", you blurted as Fat Nuggets jumped on the bed, wriggling his way between two of Angel's arms.
Angel raised an eyebrow at that.
"Husk? Really?"
"Yeah... He was worried, Tony. Like, actually worried. Told me he hadn't seen you since last night and thought you were with Val. He didn't have to, but he did."
Your friend's lips pressed into a thin line as he stared at the ceiling. "Guess I've been an ass to him as well, huh?"
"You? Asshole? Never" you teased, poking his side.
Angel rolled his eyes but couldn't stop a tiny smirk. "I'll… I'll say thanks to him. I guess."
"Good" you shrugged, resting your head on his shoulder. "It's nice to know people care about you, isn't it?"
Angel was quiet for a moment, his eyes softening as he looked at you. "Yeah. It is."
"Now move over" you huffed, nudging him.
Angel whined but scooted aside, making some space for you. Fat Nuggets squealed happily as you plopped onto the bed, nestling between the two of you.
"Y'know, you're kinda annoyin'..." Angel mumbled, his voice drowsy.
"Right back at you Dusty" you teased, ruffling his drying hair.
He let out a soft laugh, his head resting on your lap. "Thank ya for coming for me... Even when I don't deserve it that much."
"Always" you simply said, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
For the first time in days, the silence felt comforting.
*cazzo means dick in Italian*
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Hazbin Hotel masterlist
This work is part of the nymph's daily gifts! 💕🧚♀️
the cards on the table were barely visible through the haze behind your eyes. Pomni was talking too fast, clearly nervous, which was often typical of her, Gangle looked like she was about to cry, and Kinger was off in his own kingdom of delusion again. but none of it was reaching you.
“. . . alright, cards down! let’s see who’s been lying through their teeth.”
you were trying not to squirm.
Jax’s hand had snuck under the table and settled between your legs, fingers moving slow, lazy, pretending he was just bored. his thumb pressed soft against the damp spot already forming, just idly testing the waters. his grin stretched wide across his face as he leaned in closer. “i dunno, dollface. . . you look guilty. twitchy and sweaty. somethin’ you wanna confess?”
what a bastard.
trying not to give yourself away, you opened your mouth, but Ragatha’s hand landed on your knee before a word came out. so gentle and weightlessly, her thumb brushing circles because of which warmth began to spread throughout your body. her touches always had such an effect on you, you wanted to dissolve in them, in her rather than in Jax. your breath hitched.
“they’re probably just nervous,” she answered for you, fake-innocent smile lighting up her face. “first time playing mafia can be so intense. right, sweetheart?”
oh, looks like the doll wants to play.
Jax didn’t stop. his fingers pushed in deeper through the fabric, palm flat now, rubbing harder, wanting to see how far he could push before you squirmed too much to sit still. he leaned back like he wasn’t doing anything at all, holding a cigarette with his free hand and blowing out smoke.
his grin widened. “oh yeah, real intense, Raggie.”
your cheeks burned and you swallowed.
at the same moment cards flipped and poor Pomni shouted something about betrayal. someone gasped, probably Gangle but your mind had tunneled in on the pressure between your legs, how warm his hand felt and how Ragatha’s touch was creeping higher up your thigh.
until it wasn’t.
you let out a frustrated half groan and started coughing to cover it up. Ragatha slapped Jax’s hand away without looking. her fingers replaced his almost immediately. sweet like nothing had happened.
“. . .your voice is shaking,” she whispered near your ear. “you okay, sugarplum?”
your too quick nod and facial expression made Jax chuckle. “liar!! definite mafia. vote ’em out!”
Ragatha just giggled and leaned in closer, resting her chin on your shoulder. “mm-mm, i think they’re just distracted. aren’t you, honeybee?”
Jax clicked his tongue but didn’t push it, shaking ash from a cigarette. Ragatha’s hand returned to your inner thigh, beginning those familiar strokes your body already recognized for what they were.
all you could do was smile, nod along, pretend you were still playing the game. and Ragatha kept caressing your inner thigh every so often, only to slap Jax’s hand away whenever he tried to sneak his own over you. the two of you exchanged soft giggles watching him knock back the rest of his drink. that annoyed look on his face saying more than words ever could, especially about what it’d mean once the three of you were finally alone.
okay i just did a request but whatever, ur writing is just so good ☹️
i just need more jax x rags blurb, fluff or smut i literally don’t care 😭💗
something small to feed the people, thank you so much !! non sexal tickling, fluff, sweet stuff. jax x reader x ragatha.
the lights of the your room cast a warm, soft light on the three of you, sprawled in bed. you were tucked gently in-between jax and ragatha. your head on ragatha's shoulder, jax’s arm wrapped tightly against your middle. you felt warm, like you were in front of fire, from both of their bodily heat. it was nice, you couldn't help but hum in appreciation.
more often than not, this is how the three of you spend your time not on adventures. you couldn't fully articulate how the three of you became the three of you, but you wouldn't change anything about it. yeah, some couples have a soppy, sweet story, but your partners hated each other when you first met them. you always wanted to help them get onto better terms, but never did you think it would end up like this. sometimes you swear they love each other, but they both scoff at the idea.
it all was just so sweet, and then, jax whisper yelled, “now!" within a moment you're flipped on your back. “what are you doing?” you shriek. jax’s yellow gloved hands pin you to the bed, and before you think anything sexual is going on, ragatha's cloth fingers start digging into your side and tickling you. your farvorite people in the world, working against you. you scream out laughs, as she assualts your sides. this continuues for a while, until they finally let you up. tears rolling down your cheeks from laughing so hard, you puff out your bottom lip.
“that wasn't fair, at all!” you whine, looking faux-angry at the two of them. ragatha leans in kissing your lips in a quick peck, “are you gonna make it?” she teases.
“you’reeee fine. why can't you just be glad we worked together.” jax shoots back, with his usual big ass smile, ruffling the top of your head and pressing a kiss to your cheek.
A healed people pleaser helping her understand that she doesn't need to move mountains to make her existence useful
And a lil smooch at the end, she deserves lots of loves
And you do too!
Sendin lots of loves to you too, take care honey🫶
ouuuu okay i can try this for you!! this is rlly cute hehe ; and tysm!! lots of love to you too 🫶 ; tysm for requesting, hope you enjoy!!
RAGATHA ; you deserve love
summary ; recovered people pleaser! reader helps ragatha see she doesnt need to move mountains to be 'useful'
warnings ; language
word count ; 765
masterlist
You noticed rather quickly after returning from your recent adventure that Ragatha wasn't feeling alright. She seemed so... not needy, but like, needy for other people to want her. She got into these moods often. You knew she felt she didn't fit in with the others. Zooble had Gangle, Gangle had Zooble. Kinger had all of you in his own way. Jax and Pomni were only growing closer and closer. You had her, but she didn't feel like she had you.
Your suspicions were confirmed when she approached you, lounging on the couch with a Rubix Cube, seemingly nervous. She seemed fidgety, and she sort of stood over you, thinking, or waiting for you to say something. You set the cube down and sit up, having been laying across the couch with your feet dangling off the side. You just stare back up at her, waiting for her to say something, anything.
"Uhm," she stutters, "Do you need anything?"
You slowly shake your head.
"Oh, okay!" she nervously smiles, "I-I asked Jax, and Pomni, and Kinger, and Gangle, and Zooble... they don't need me for anything." she frowns, nervously fidgeting with her hands. "I even asked Caine."
You sigh, "Do you want to do something for me?"
She quickly looks up at you and nods like a puppy who's just heard their favorite word. This is like her 'you want a treat?' or 'walk? you wanna go on a walk?'. Like, seriously. Somehow, you see her non-button eye swell ten times its normal size just upon hearing you suggest something for her to do.
Still, you know she's just trying to make herself useful. She only wants to fo this because it guves her security that you still care aboht hwr. It's not about attention focusing on Pomni or Jax acting mean and trying to push people away because his two best friends abstracted. Its not because Kinger is slowly gaining more consciousness, or that Gangle is growing and accepting their emotions, or that Zooble is finding a little bit of comfort in their cursed body. It's because she feels like she is useless and needs to do something to make herself useful again. She's a chronic people pleaser. Rarely does she ever say no. It's a trauma response, you can tell, given you're a recovering pleasing addict. But you also know this isn't healthy for her.
"Well, here's something," you stand up, properly facing her, "Stop being such a people pleaser."
Her brows quickly furrow, and her hands rise to heart level, "Huh?"
"Ragatha, this isn't healthy." you speak, taking her hands to hold them in yours so she can focus on you and not on fidgeting, "We need an intervention."
She's silent. You can't tell if she's just trying to process or having a full existential breakdown. You gently push her onto the couch, allowing her a comfy space to sit down, where you join beside her.
"Rags, I know it's a trauma response cause your mom," you start, "I'm sort of a pro when it comes to people pleasing, you know that. But-"
"I'm not a people pleaser," she shakes her head, "I'm just- trying to be nice!"
You give her that all knowing parental look. She frowns and glances away. You know her too well.
"This is not healthy." you speak, "You never say no to anyone or anything. You do everything for everyone else. I know how you're feeling, but you dont need to move mountains to be useful. You're a human trapped in a goddamn video game. You need to survive, not be useful to others."
She bites her lips. She knows you're right.
"Think of all the shit you didn't want to do but did for Jax. Think about the adventures." you continue, "That's not you."
She slowly nods. "I just want you guys to care about me."
"We do care about you, Rags," you smile, holding your hands comfortingly over hers, "We love you. I love you. I just don't want your trauma to eat you alive, okay? Being a people pleaser isn't healthy."
She nods. "I guess you're right."
"I love you, okay?"
She nods again with a little smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She presses a smooch to your mouth, just a chaste little kiss. You roll your eyes, still smiling, trying to act nonchalant.
"Thank you, Y/n/n," she smiles.
"Yeah, yeah, of course," you nervously smile, "Just... focus on you, not others. Put you first for a change, alright?"
spudsy’s shifts and dumbass rabbits (jax x reader)
i watched episode 4 and couldn’t resist writing this lil silly fic because i hate jax <3
you swear you’re gonna kill him.
you don’t even care what happens after that, Caine can throw you in the void or force you into a therapy session with him, or whatever horrifying punishment his ai brain comes up with. it’d be worth it. it’d be so worth it if it meant shutting Jax up for five goddamn minutes.
he’s been sitting at the counter, feet kicked up onto the register looking like he’s on fucking vacation, while you scramble around Spudsy’s kitchen. the fryer’s spitting oil, the soda machine’s doing that weird gurgling thing again
and Jax does nothing all shift except make snide comments about your “technique”, pretending to be Gordon Ramsay trapped in a rabbit’s body.
“you’re gonna burn them,” he drawls, spinning one of the ketchup bottles like it’s a fidget toy, watching you flipping the fries.
you slam the fryer basket down harder than necessary and whirl around to glare at him. “maybe if you got off your lazy ass and helped, they’d come out looking better.”
Jax snickers, tilting his head back to look at you upside-down. his ears flop over the back of the chair, and he grins widely. “nah, why would I do that when you’re doing such a great job on your own?”
“Jax, I swear to #@?!—”
“language, language!” he interrupts, wagging a finger at you. “what would Caine think if he heard you talking like that?”
you grab the nearest ketchup bottle and launch it at him. and honestly, it’s more satisfying than it should be when it hits him square in the chest, splattering his black uniform with bright red.
“oh, wow.” he looks down at the mess and then up at you, opening his eyes wide in fake surprise. “was that supposed to hurt my feelings? because it’s just pathetic, sweetie, really.”
“pathetic?!” you’re halfway across the counter before you even realise what you’re doing, hands grabbing at his stupid clothes to yank him closer, practically face to face, however this damn bastard is taller than you, but you don’t back down.
Jax doesn’t fight it. in fact, he leans into it, daring you to say something else.
his stupid sharp smile only growing wider. “aww, isn’t it romantic. you’re starting to sound so obsessed with me, sweetheart.”
“obsessed with killing you, maybe.” your grip tightens on his shirt. Jax’s smile fades for a moment and his ears twitch what makes you think he might actually shut up.
but no. of course not.
“if i knew getting you riled up was this easy, I’d’ve started weeks ago,” his tone is so insufferably casual that you’re losing your temper.
you shove him back, harder than you meant to and he stumbles, nearly tripping over the chair he’s been lounging in all shift. you expect him to snap at you or at least throw some sarcastic quip your way, but instead—
he laughs.
it throws you off just long enough for him to close the distance between you, his hands catching yours before you can storm off.
“hey, you’ve got a little ketchup—” Jax swipes a gloved finger across your cheek, smudging red sauce where there definitely wasn’t any before “—right there.”
you glare at him, opening your mouth to yell, but before you can say anything, he leans down and—
oh.
it’s quick. as if he’s testing the waters, but the kiss leaves you frozen in place. his grin is back in full force when he pulls away, his eyes half-lidded. you stand there, dumbfounded, looking at his infuriatingly pleased face. the fryer beeps in the background and the soda machine gurgles again.
“there. now we’re even,” he says, stepping back and slipping out of your reach before you can punch him in the face.
“you’re such a—”
“Jax! y/n! get back to work!” Gangle's voice sounds.
